Primal RiteSensory Link to Pain

Bay Area crossover crew Primal Rite's followup to their excellent 2016 EP Complex Life of Passion comes in the form of an equally impressive three-song EP that serves as a forecast for their forthcoming LP. Sensory Link to Pain showcases some of the band's most relentlessly aggressive songs yet, seamlessly blending a myriad of '90s influences into a succinct and cohesive package.

The title track bursts out of the gates with high-octane riffing and solos that harken to Cause of Death-era Obituary, while followup "Is It Me?" starts up equally furiously before transitioning into a much more measured hardcore swing and then into a colossal final breakdown. The Biohazard-referencing closer "Primal Discipline" follows suit, wrapping up the set with an equally menacing stretch of chugging that's punctuated by gang vocals in the verses.

Sensory Link to Pain serves as proof that Primal Rite are among the most promising new bands in the hardcore landscape, and that they keep evolving with each release.
(Revelation)